Merry Little Batman: Luke Wilson Reveals Why He Didn't Do a Gruff Batman Voice
Merry Little Batman star Luke Wilson explains why the gruff Batman voice wasn't a fit for this project.
DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation have partnered with Amazon Prime Video for a special holiday season release: Merry Little Batman, an animated Christmas story featuring The Dark Knight and his son, Damian Wayne.
If you've seen the trailer for Merry Little Batman, you probably recognize that the voice of Batman/Bruce Wayne is actor Luke Wilson – and he's doing a very different take on what Batman sounds like. In plain terms: this Batman sounds like Luke Wilson.
Why Luke Wilson Didn't Do A Gruff Batman Voice
During ComicBook.com's interviews with the cast of Merry Little Batman, we had to ask Luke Wilson about his choice of Batman's voice, and why he didn't go with the gruff sound of Michael Keaton or Christian Bale's Batman:
"Well [laughs] I thought about the same thing when I saw the first preview they had, and I think it's just what I started doing when we first ... a few years ago, started working on the voice, and I think I was maybe affected by the title being "Baby Batman" thinking 'Okay' – I don't want to speak out of turn here – but maybe [this] skewed towards younger kids. Because I actually thought exactly what you're saying; The Dark Knight was on cable last night, and I thought 'Oh, I'll watch a little of that,' and I thought, 'Okay, that's actually Batman' [laughs]. A very dark, dystopian version of Batman. But no, I think I was trying to go for something... just the idea that he's with his kid. But yeah I don't change it even when I'm out fighting crime. It's a good question!"
Wilson clearly understood the level of scrutiny that Bamtan fans have when it comes to the character's voice – the prime example being Kevin Conroy, whose voice as the animated Batman became an iconic part of the character, and the late actor's life. However, in the case of Merry Little Batman, there seems to be a clear answer for why Luke Wilson's friendly All-American voice was a better fit: the film is depicting a more comedic take on Batman, meant for kids. Bruce Wayne/Batman as a friendly father-figure was the way to go, as Merry Little Batman's true function is giving kids the fantasy-fulfillment of stepping into Batman's role themselves. But having Dad around when things get scary (with a reassuring word) can't hurt.